The Truth Within His Heart
by Mistic
Summary: This story is based upon the episode called Last Restort. It basically retells the plot with the authors added twist.


Sailor Moon and associated characters are copyrighted 1997 Naoko   
Takeuchi/Kodansha, DIC entertainment, Toei Animation.  
  
@)~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (@  
  
  
  
The Truth Within His Heart  
by: Mistic  
  
"Come back here you little spore," Serena cried as she waded   
through the murky water. With a very low curse, Serena continued   
against the light current of the murky sulfuric water. Her progress was   
slow and labored, for she was hiding her nude form from the prying eyes   
of all that were about by keeping almost entirely under the water holding   
her hands crossed over her chest as she went.  
  
A few feet ahead of his older sister, Sammy ran holding her   
towel in his hands. A smile of pure glee and mischief spreading over   
his face as he ran up the embankment towards the steep hill top.   
Suddenly, Sammy stopped and peered harder at the ghostlike form of a   
young man.   
  
As Sammy focused on the figure, Serena snatched her towel from   
his immobile hand. She quickly pulled the towel around her body once   
more so that no one could see her in her compromising state and mumbled   
in a very low voice, "Next time, I'm wearing a bathing suit no matter   
what mom says!"  
  
When Sammy didn't react to Serena's comment, she looked up with  
a curious expression on her face. She gasped gently at the sight of her   
brother. His form was unmoving save from the rhythmic movement of his   
chest do to his heartbeat. Standing up, Serena decided to take a look   
at what had fixated Sammy.   
  
Below them on the beach stood a form that Serena thought that   
she would never see again. Her heart flipped in her chest and her eyes   
could see nothing but the familiar form of her prince. Serena's eyes   
began to well with tears of joy as she saw him peer at the place that   
she and her brother stood. Before Serena knew what she was doing, she   
was running to her hotel room after gasping "Darien!?"  
  
Upon arriving at her hotel room, Serena threw on her bathing   
suit and a resort robe. In under two minutes flat, Serena was running   
once again. She ran out of her room and into the woods that surrounded   
the resort. Pausing for but a moment to assess her location, Serena   
turned and headed towards the spot were she had seen Darien. Once there   
she looked around eagerly searching the shore for that familiar form   
that made her heart do flips of joy. To her disappointment and   
heartbreak, Serena could find no trace of the man that she loved with   
all her heart and soul. Dejectedly, Serena began to trudge through the   
forest. Serena soon lost her way do to the fact that she had not even   
noticed what path she had taken on her run through the woods.  
  
"Great, Serena. Just great! First you lose Darien and now   
you've lost your way," Serena chided herself as she walked through the   
forest. Serena stopped for a moment to clear her head. She looked   
around and decided to rest. She sat down upon the ground and leaned   
against a statue that she had not noticed before. As Serena buried her   
head in her hands and began to cry, a soft, sweet melody began to   
play. Not understanding exactly how or why her star locket was playing,   
Serena pulled it out of the pocket of her robe and began to stare at   
the revolving moon insignia.  
  
Not far away from the weeping Serena stood the man that she wept   
for. Endymion stood gazing at the lake that Serena had left but moments   
before he had arrived. He stared out at the gently rippling surface of   
the lake. Anger was boiling in Endymion's heart for he could neither   
find the girl he had seen upon the cliff above the lake nor could he   
figure out what was within the lake that was so evil that it was   
drawing his attention to it.   
  
"What's out there-" Darien's musing was cut off as he heard the soft   
music of Serena's star locket though for all he knew it was someone   
playing bells. Something in the melody broke his heart yet mended it   
at the same time. His feelings were in such a mixed up state that   
Endymion had to find out what the music was. He just had to know why   
it was affecting his heart in such a way.  
  
Within five minutes, Endymion found the source of his trouble.   
It was a small golden locket that seemed to radiate moon beams from the   
center, for light that rose from the locket seemed to be as pure as the   
Goddess Diana herself. After studying the locket for a moment, Endymion   
took a moment to looked at the slip of a girl that held the locket in her   
hand. Involuntarily, Endymion gasped at the pureness and sheer beauty of   
the girl he saw. Her hair was that of golden sunshine on the brightest   
summer days. Even though he could not see her eyes, Endymion's heart told   
him that her eyes were the color of the purest summer skies. Not truly   
meaning to say anything, Endymion asked before he could catch himself,   
"W-what is that music?"  
  
"It's the music of the moon," Serena stated solemnly, not even   
bothering to look up at her inquisitor, "and true love."   
  
Endymion paused as he pondered the answer. He searched the back   
of his mind for the answer had seemed familiar to him though he knew   
not why. For a few moments, Endymion racked his brain for the answer   
but could find none. Again Endymion spoke before he thought of the   
consequences of his question, "What is 'true love'? I know what the   
moon is, but I have never heard of this love. What is it?"  
  
Shocked beyond compare by this question, Serena abruptly   
brought her eyes and head to see who was speaking to her. "Darien," She   
gasped both in confusion and surprise. She had known that he was an   
orphan, but she did not realize that he had never known love. Looking   
deeply into his stormy gray eyes, Serena saw nothing but confusion and   
almost a timid kind of fear. Suddenly, she was trapped in within a   
vision of horror:  
  
"What is your name," a woman with dark red hair and snake-like   
teeth asked in a hideous voice.  
  
"Darien; my name is Darien," Darien faltered; the words only   
above a whisper for he had used nearly all his strength to fight the   
brainwashing machine.   
  
The wound that lie just above Darien's heart seemed to have   
worsened since Serena had last saw it. The stain on his shirt was   
larger and that scared Serena. She continued to watch the vision in   
horror. Darien fought against the woman's brain washing as hard as he   
could but it was a losing battle. Sweet sleep overtook his mind and the   
brainwashing seemed to stop. The woman watched with little feeling as   
Darien's life force slipped out of his body. As soon as he was dead,   
the woman spoke an incantation that animated Darien's body and he   
became Prince Endymion once more. The woman cackled loudly as Prince   
Endymion bowed to her and kissed her hand.  
  
Serena's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Endymion and   
for the first time realized that Darien was truly dead. Tuxedo Mask was   
no more, and the man that her heart beat for was dead. Instead of   
crying, Serena gently touched Endymion's arm though she knew that he   
was truly not the man that she longed for. Serena looked into Endymion's   
confused eyes and whispered delicately, "What has happened to you,   
Dar-Endymion? What has she done to you to turn your heart against mine.   
I watched as you died. How could she still be in control of your body?"  
  
Endymion turned his eyes down to those of Serena and just   
replied, "I do not know. I do not even know who you are even though you   
seem to know me as well as my queen does. As for dying, my memory is so   
clouded that I know not what to think of that comment."  
  
Before Serena could respond to his answer, Mrs. Tsukino called   
her name. Serena turned to her where she had heard her mother's voice   
and said to him, "I must go-"  
  
"Who are you talking to," Mrs. Tsukino asked as she came upon   
her daughter. Mr. Tsukino and Sammy trailed only a few feet behind   
Serena's mother.  
  
Serena spun around only to see that Endymion had teleported   
away. Tears springing into her sky blue eyes, Serena turned to her   
mother and buried herself in her comforting arms.  
  
"Oh my darling; what is wrong," Mrs. Tsukino asked tenderly as   
she stroked her daughter's silky hair gently.  
  
"He's gone," Serena sobbed softly into her mother's arms, "He's   
truly gone. She took him from me."  
  
"Who? Who's gone," Mrs. Tsukino asked in surprised tones as she   
held her sobbing daughter.  
  
"Who's made you cry, honey," Mr. Tsukino asked, "I'll kill him   
for hurting you."  
  
"Only I can make her repent for what she has done to my   
Endymion-Darien-my only love," Serena's sobs began to trail off.   
  
"What's wrong," Serena's mom asked once more as she ended the   
embrace for Serena's muscles had grown tense. Serena scanned the forest   
with determination for she felt that something was wrong. A moment   
later she gasped as a monster ran out in front of her family.  
  
"There's that little wood sprite," a hideous monster that was   
half fish and half humanoid hissed as she spotted the tense Serena.   
  
The fish creature attempted to attack Serena but was stopped by   
a black rose. Serena looked up when she heard a familiar voice say,   
"Bad form to attack innocent people! I command you to go back to   
the lake!"  
  
"Command me," the monster hissed as though it had been struck,   
"I think not!"  
  
The monster struck out at Serena's family once more only to   
have Mr. Tsukino try to fend off the attack with a stick. The monster   
turned the stick into a pile of splinters. As it tried to attack Mr.   
Tsukino again, Serena pulled out her moon wand and stopped the monster's  
attack from hitting her father. Rage filled Serena's heart as she   
cried, "How dare you hurt my family! You will not get away with that.  
On behalf of the moon-" Serena stopped her speech as she felt a strong   
blast hit the monster square in the chest forcing a great gap between   
the two.  
  
"We'll take it from here, Princess" Shouted four Sailor Scouts   
as they gracefully landed between Serena's family and the monster.  
  
"Cool the Sailor Scouts," Sammy shouted gleefully as they began   
to battle the monster, "They'll waste her!"  
  
Serena vigorously moved her head from side to in order to clear   
the fog that had encompassed it due to her fall. Endymion and the   
Tsukinos flew to her side in order to help Serena up. As Endymion   
helped his princess to her feet, Serena noticed that his mask had   
uncolored for a split second, and she saw a vision of Darien trying to   
fight the brainwashing but dying in the process. Serena blinked and the   
color returned to the mask. Hope began to burn in her at that moment,   
and she voiced forcefully, "I know it was not your fault, Endymion. I   
know you had no choice. Beryl will pay for your soul's death. She will   
repent for taking you away from me, again. But for now we are enemies.   
I know I must cope."  
  
"I understand," Endymion said as he looked into Serena's  
crystal blue eyes and saw that her love for him burned bright. Endymion   
bowed to Serena though he did not know why he felt the need to do so.   
With a wistful goodbye, he teleported back to the Nega Verse, "Though   
we are now enemies, Princess; I truly know not why. Until we meet again.  
Oh--and I will get that crystal, Serenity. You can count on it."  
  
"In you dreams, Endymion; in your dreams," Serena chuckled as   
she turned to face toward the rest of her bewildered family.  
  
"Is that the young man you were crying for," Mr. Tsukino asked   
slightly hostile but mostly bewildered.  
  
"Ya," Serena stated wistfully as she turned to see the moon   
shining in the distance, "Once upon another life time."  
  
It was at that moment that a star fell from the sky, and   
Serena's family was knocked off their feet by an explosion. Fear closed   
in on Serena, but this fear was not the usual fear for own life but   
that true fear for those that she loved.  
  
"Follow me," Serena cried as her warrior side took over her.   
She led her family to the path that it had taken her so long to find   
before. As she was running, Serena could hear the cries of help from   
her friends, and she ducked behind a tree calling out, "The resort's   
this way!"  
  
Serena's family ran past the tree that she was hidden behind and   
were headed safely back to the resort. Serena silently prayed that they   
would be fine and then allowed her warrior spirit to have control once   
more. She cried out the transformation phrase and was encompassed by ribbons   
of pure energy. As they caressed her, Serena felt new power surge through   
her soul, and she teleported to where her friends awaited her much needed   
help.  
  
"Moon tiara magic," Sailor Moon threw her tiara and sliced the   
vines that held her fellow Scouts. She then turned her attention to the   
monster and cried, "You hurt my family and my friends. It is for this   
that you must be punished. On behalf of the moon and all that I hold   
dear, I will vanquish you! Moon tiara magic!"  
  
The tiara hit the monster and tore her to pieces but there was   
something strange about this monster. She just fell apart and then   
pulled herself back together. Mercury yelled out something about the   
monster not being from the Nega Verse, and Rei let lose one of her   
anti-evil charms upon the monster. It was only then that Sailor Moon   
remembered what her mother had told her that morning in the car. Sailor   
Moon picked up her Moon Crescent Wand and called out, "Moon...   
Healing... Activation!"  
  
The monster was encircled by pure moon dust and then silver   
moon beams shot forth from her body. A bright flash of light and the   
transformation was complete. No longer held by her deep jealousy, the   
young woman's spirit floated up into the night sky to join the spirits   
of her village. As she journeyed to the heavens, she recognized Serena   
and smiled saying softly, "Thank you. Thank you."  
  
Serena smiled for the first time all night and turned to her   
friends, "How did you know were I was?"  
  
"Luna told us," Mina giggled nervously.   
  
"Well," Serena said angrily and then playfully as she hugged   
her friends, "Thank you! I needed the help. If you hadn't shown up, I   
would have had to transform in front of my parents. Now that would   
be harder to explain--ah never mind. That would actually be easier than   
explaining about Endymion."  
  
Everyone laughed as they hugged their friend. Mercury   
detransformed and suggested that Serena go find her parents. Serena   
agreed and left her friends on their own.  
  
Serena found her mom and dad easily because they were calling   
her name out rather loudly. She ran to them and fell gracefully into   
her mother's opened arms. She decided it was best to play the part of   
the distressed daughter and cried in a high pitch squeal, "Oh, that was   
utterly terrifying! It's a good thing the Sailor Scouts showed up. I am   
sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to."  
  
"That's okay, my darling," Mrs. Tsukino said soothingly.  
  
"We're just glad that your all right," Mr. Tsukino added.  
  
"Hey, Serena," Sammy asked timidly, "Who was that guy?"  
  
"You'll find out someday, Sammy. But today is not that day,"   
Serena paused to stare at the full moon and then continued in a wistful   
tone, "Until the Moon Princess can free him as he freed her, no one   
shall know who he is. Especially since he doesn't even know who he   
truly is."  
  
With that Serena's parents started to question her meaning, but   
Serena interrupted them by yawning and saying, "I think I'll go take a   
nap. My friends will probably want to go for a swim later, and I'm very   
tired at the moment."  
  
"Sure go ahead, honey. We'll wake you up for dinner," Mrs.   
Tsukino said as she watched Serena stand staring at the moon with a   
wistful smile and a broken heart. It was clear to her that Serena's   
heart had been broken, but Mrs. Tsukino decided that it would be better   
for Serena to tell her why on her own.  
  
Serena's parents headed up the path that led to the resort   
leaving Serena behind to ponder her dilemma. Serena blew a kiss to the   
moon and headed up the path with a heavy heart. Serena made a secret   
prayer deep in her heart that Darien would one day find his way back to   
her though she knew it was impossible...  
  
  
Far above the Earth in a place not known to any living man, a   
ghostly figure caught Serena's kiss and gently scolded his young love,   
"Nothing is impossible, Princess. Nothing's is impossible, my sweet,   
gentle princess. We will meet again one day even if it is in another   
lifetime."  
  
The figure knew that events would work out and that someday   
soon Serena's prayer would be answered, for he would help her in her   
search for peace and retribution. With these thoughts, the ghostly   
figure evaporated from where he had stood to a place of eternal peace.  
  
  
****************************************************************************  
  



End file.
